PDA

View Full Version : Stanstead Problem


tart1
9th May 2005, 20:44
Don't know if this has been covered before:

I flew out of Stansted last week on a flight which was scheduled to depart at 07.00.

When I arrived at 05.45, the information screens said that departure time of the flight was 06.10 and that the flight was now boarding.

There was no check in area displayed because it only said that the flight was boarding and, not being familiar with Stansted, I had to hurriedly ask someone for the location of the airline's check in desks.

I experienced some moments of pure panic, imagining that I was too late for my flight, and rushed to the check in desk only to find that there was a queue of about 200 people waiting to check in.

I asked someone and was told that the departure time on the screens was a mistake but they couldn't change it. Whaaat???

Am I being stupid in thinking that if such a grossly misleading item of information has been keyed into an airport screen, it should be possible to rectify it. I was not the only person there who had been very worried when they arrived and saw the mistake. :*

terrain safe
9th May 2005, 21:00
So worried you can't spell STANSTED:p :p :p

Buster the Bear
9th May 2005, 21:22
I think that he/she can actually spell, anyway ridicule him/her for their lack of an extra letter in the word Stan sted! I have seen many an educated media TONK (I cannot write TWATS, not allowed!) scribe Stanstead and PLENTY of other PPRuNeR's write the same!

"I flew out of Stansted last week on a flight which was scheduled to depart at 07.00." He/she can spell!

tart1 has raised an interesting question, departure screens contradict an e-ticketing departure time on your arrival in the tinminal, whoops, terminal, but the operators of the screens cannot change the incorrect data input into them! ROLLOCKS of course they can!

My cynical mind thinks that the airline/handling agent is attempting to get you to your flight early, so that your aircraft parking stand can be assumed rapidly by another lo-co departure?

Enyway, bearz kant spell, but know a lot about airports!!

http://static.zsl.org/images/width150/bear-04-web-305.jpg

Tranceaddict
9th May 2005, 22:55
What is being said is sort of true

The departure times shown on the screens are taken from the runway slot approved by ACL (ie the time the airport says they can take off).

This is sometimes different from the time that the airline has applied for and has told all it's passnegers.

The time cannot be changed unless the runway slot is changed, however comments can be put in to advise of the correct STD.

Hope this helps

LTNman
10th May 2005, 05:23
Buster the Bear wrote

"I flew out of Stansted last week"

Traitor

:sad: :sad: :sad:

KintoreLoon
10th May 2005, 08:56
Yes, the time on the FIDS screen is the time that ACL have issued a slot to the flight in question.

Thanks to this thread, I have a strong suspicion that the operator in question (I have a good idea which flight tart1 was taking) is operating to their required time and NOT their cleared time, which is a clear case of slot abuse.

KintoreLoon

tart1
12th May 2005, 19:18
Terrain Safe - I was so upset about my spelling mistake that I tried to edit it but the title remains the same. :{

Thank you so much for pointing that out - how very silly of me!! :=

Thanks for the replies - the flight was Air Scandic to Corfu. The really stupid thing was that, not only was the flight really due out at 07.00, but the check-in queue was so long and there was only one check-in open (until several people bitched about it so much and they opened another 2) and the passengers weren't even finished checking in until 06.30 - 20 minutes after the departure time on the board!

Then when we got to the gate having specifically been told to hurry over there, we then waited 45 minutes to board. The reason for this was because there was no crew on board the aircraft - we saw them arrive just before we finally boarded - and we took off an hour late.

Nothing is ever explained by this airline - on the way home we were again over an hour late and it was never even mentioned. One to avoid IMVHO. :(